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LINCOLN NORTH STAR HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT, JERALYN POE, NAMED GATORADE NEBRASKA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

LINCOLN NORTH STAR HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE NEBRASKA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO (January 10, 2013) — In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Jeralyn Poe of Lincoln North Star High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Nebraska Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Poe is the first Gatorade Nebraska Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from Lincoln North Star High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Poe as Nebraska’s best high school girls cross country runner. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award to be announced in January, Poe joins an elite alumni association of past state award- winners in 12 sports, including Ryan Hall (1999-00, 2000-01, Big Bear HS, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-5 sophomore raced to her second straight Class A individual state championship this past season with a time of 14:42.6. The returning Gatorade Nebraska Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Poe was the fastest Nebraska competitor at the 2012 Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional championships, earning 37th place and crossing the line in 19:06.3.

Poe has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a library aide and has also donated her time as part of an elementary literacy-outreach program.

“Jeralyn Poe continues to improve and grow as a runner all the time,” said North Star High head coach Matt Musiel. “She had an even better fall season in 2012 than she did last year. Winning the All-Class gold with the fastest state meet time in all classifications was just the icing on the cake.”

Poe will begin her junior year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Poe joins Gatorade Nebraska Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year Aubree Worden (2010-11& 2009-10, Scottsbluff High School), Kelli Budd (2008-09, Marian) and Emily Sisson (2007-08, Millard North) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.